Apparatus for protecting vessels against aerial attacks



May 14, 1929. H. HOLDEN 1,713,339 APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING VESSELS AGAINST AERIAL ATTACKS Filed July 3, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l llllllllllll ll lllllllll E:

m. fi m TTORNEY.

May 14, 1929. H. HOLDEN 1,713,339

APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING VESSELS AGAINST AERIAL ATTACKS Filed July 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTIORI;

Patented May 14, 1929.

HERBERT HOLDEN, or BOSTON, massacnnsm'rs.

APPARATUS FOR. PROTECTING VE Application filed July 3,

The present invention relates to an apparatus-for protecting vessels, such as warships and the like, from damage by bombs dropped from aeroplanes during an aerial attack, and aims to provide a novel and improved ap aratus of this character having a relatively arge member adapted to be rotated at a relatively high rate of speed constructed in an inverted cone-shaped formation and arranged over the vital parts of the vessel, such as the engine room, and adapted to direct or throw bombs dropped thereon into the water away from the vessel prior to the exploding thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an inverted cone-shaped member adapted to be rotated at a high rate of speed composed of a vframe supporting block of resilient material, said resilient material aiding in the throwing of bombs away from the vessel, as well as aiding in the preventing of the operation of the explosive caps of the bombs when striking the rotatable member.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a slidable, rotatable, inverted cone-shaped member arranged over the vital parts of a vessel, said rotatable member being adapted to slide upwardly on the shaft on which at a high rate of speed and arranged in a manner for permitting the dropping thereof on the shaft when engaged by a bomb, thus increasing the efliciency of the rotatable member in preventing the explosion of the bomb.

A still furtherobj ect of the invention is to provide a pair of nets arranged at the forward and rearward sides of the rotatable, inverted cone-shaped member so as to protect the bow and stern of'the vessel, said nets being resiliently mounted so as to permit the same to give when a bomb is dropped thereon or thrown thereon by the rotatable member,

thus aiding in preventing the explosion of a bomb.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the above indicated character, which will be thoroughly eflicient and practical in use for protecting a vesse against the explosion of bombs dropped thereon during an aerial attack. J

With the fore oing and other objects in view, which will e apparent as/the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being be made within the same is mounted when rotated l flange 27 of SSELS AGAINST AERIAL ATTACKS.

1928. Serial No. 290,091.

the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

' The invention is illustrated the accompanylng drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a battle ship showing my improved apparatus applied thereto,

- Figure 2 is a top plan of the same,

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the apparatus.

Iteferring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a vessel, and as a matter of illustration a warship is shown, having a bow 11, central portion 12, at which point the engine room and other vital parts ofthe vessel are arranged, and a stern 13.

In carrying out the invention, the numeral 15 i nd1cates an inverted cone-shaped member which is mounted upon a shaft 16 rotatably mounted in a base bearing 17 and an elevated bearing 18 supported by a housing 19. The base bearing 17 and-the housing 19 are supported upon the deck of the vessel at the central portion 12 thereof. On the lower end of the shaft 16 is a bevel gear 20 which meshes with another bevel gear 21 secured to the drlve shaft of an electric motor or dynamo 22 also mounted upon the deck of the vessel. It can be seen that when the electric motor or dynamo 22 is operated, the shaft 16 will be rotated in the bearings 17 and 18.

The inverted cone-shaped member 15 is constructed of a metallic frame 23 which supports a plurality of resilient blocks 24 of rubber or similar material. The frame 23 has a plurality of annular flanges 25 thereon arranged in spaced relation from each other which overlap the edges of the resilient blocks 24 at their upper and lower sides, while a plurality of radially extending overlapping flanges 26 engage the other sides of the resilient blocks 24 in order to hold said resilient blocks in proper position. By referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it can be seen that theradiating flanges 26 radiate from the apex of the inverted cone-shaped member as they extend downwardly to the main base the frame 23. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the resilient blocks practically cover the entire outer surface of the inverted cone-shaped member and that it is only at the meetin edges of the various resilient blocks that the metallic flanges 25 26, and 27 are arranged. The outer surfaces of the resilient blocks 24 are gradually rounded, as at 28, the purpose of which is to eliminate to a great extent a direct contact of a bomb dropped upon the inverted cone-shaped member.

At the upper end of the shaft 16 the same is slotted, as at 29, and a pin 30 carried by the upper end of the inverted cone-shaped member extends through the slot so as to cause the inverted cone-shaped member to be rotated upon rotation of the shaft 16. The frame 23 of the inverted cone-shaped member has a relatively long sleeve 31 arranged centrally thereof which extends practically the entire height of the inverted cone-shaped member so as to properly support the same on the shaft 16. At the lower end of the sleeve 31 is a socket 32 into which upstanding pins 33 engage when the inverted cone-shaped member is in its lowermost position on the shaft 16. on the upper end of the pins are arranged coil springs 34 for relieving the pins 33 of' shocks when the inverted cone-shaped member slides downwardly on the shaft 16. It can be seen that by providing the driving connection by means ofthe element 20, the inverted cone-shaped member will be rotated with the shaft 16, yet the same is permitted to slide thereon. When the shaft 16 is rotated at a high rate of speed, the inverted coneshaped member will rise on the shaft due to the high speed of rotation thereof and in case a bomb is dropped on said member, the'latter will be permitted to drop slightly so as to break the efliciency of contact of the bomb with the inverted cone-shaped member. On

- the upper end of the shaft 29 is'arranged an enlarged head 35 for limiting upward sliding movement of the inverted cone-shaped member.

Over the stern 11 and bow 13 of the vessel are arranged frames 36 and 37 which support metal mesh material 38 of suflicient strength for supporting a bomb dropped thereon or a bomb thrown from the rotatable member 15 and having a mesh that will prevent fragments of bombs exploded in the airfrom dropping on the deck of the vessel. The frames 36 and 37 "are supported b a plurality of posts 39 arranged adjacent t 'e'corners of the frames and attached to the same through coil springs 40 so as to resiliently mount .the frames having the screen material thereon.

In operation, the inverted cone-shaped member 15 is rotated at a high rate of speed,

which will cause the same to rise on the shaft 16. In case a bomb is dropped on the rotating inverted cone-shaped member, the same will be quickly thrown therefrom into the water away from the vessel due to the high rotation of speed of the inverted coneshapedmember. To aid in the efliciency of directing bombs away from the vessel the resilient blocks 24 are rovided which will cause a quick rebound of the bombs, and in case they explode, they will be away from the inverted cone-shaped member at the time ofexplosion so as to avoid causing dama e to the inverted cone-shaped member. ShOu d bombs from the inverted cone-shaped member be thrown upon the net at the bowand stern of the vessel or be drop ed directly thereon, the

same will yield in or er to prevent exploding .of the bombs, or in case the bombs are ex dropped from aeroplanes or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. An apparatus of the character described in combination with a vessel, comprising an inverted cone-shaped member arranged above the vessel and rotated at a high rate of s eed, and nets arranged at the 0p osite ends 0 said inverted cone-shaped meml fer.

2. An apparatus of the character described in. combination with a vessel, comprising a rotatable shaft, an inverted cone-shaped member carried by said rotatable shaft and adapted to rotatetherewith, said rotatable member being of a diameter substantially the same as the width of the beam of the vessel.

or like property against damage by bombs 3. An apparatus of the character described in combination with a vessel, comprising a rotatable. shaft, an' inverted cone-she. (1 member carried by said rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate therewith, said rotatable member being of a diameter substantially the same as the width ofthe beam of the vessel,

and nets arranged at opposite sides of the insame as the width of the beam of the vessel,

supports carried by the vessel, yieldable means arranged on said supports, and nets attached to said 'yieldable means so' as to yieldably support said nets.

5. An apparatus of the character described .a o u 1n combinatlon with a vessel, comprising a rotatable shaft, an inverted cone-shaped member slidably mountedon said shaft and fastened thereto so as to rotate therewith, means for limiting downwa d sliding movement of said inverted cone aiaped member on said shaft, and means for limiting upward sliding movement of said inverted coneshaped member on said shaft.

' fastened thereto so as 6. An apparatus of the character described .in combination with a vessel, comprising a rotatable shaft, an inverted cone-shaped member slidably mounted on said shaftand to rotate therewith,

means for limiting downward sliding move-' menteof said inverted cone-shaped member ber so as to absorb shock when sai cone-shaped memberslides-downwardly on the shaft.

7. An apparatus of the character described in combination with a vessel,,comprising an inverted cone-shaped member arranged overtthe central portion oithe' vessel, means for rotating said Inverted cone-shaped member at 20 a high rate of speed, and net's arranged on planes adjacent the lower surface of the inverted cone-shaped member-over the bow and stern of the vessel. 7

ERB R HQLDENF 

